Job Seeker Cheat Sheet To What Employers Want – 8/14/2014

Below are five things to communicate to an employer that will convince them you’re a great hire.

U.S. hiring is on a continued upswing, and healthcare is still a major contributor of new jobs. In fact, recent employment data revealed that healthcare organizations—from hospitals and ambulatory health services to nursing homes and residential care facilities—were responsible for 21,000 of the 288,000 positions the economy added in June—indicating it’s a great time to apply for new employment within the industry. If you’re ready to take the next step in your professional medical career, consider these tips to ensure you can satisfy every employer’s job seeker wish list.

1. Know your market—and be ready to talk about it.

Your ultimate reason for working may be the paycheck, but employers want to hire candidates who are also passionate about the way in which they earn those dollars. Whether you’re applying for a job at a surgical center or multi-specialty physician office, spend a few hours researching industry news, familiarizing yourself with the latest healthcare trends, identifying the major players in your local market, and learning everything you can about your potential employer. Commit a dozen or more of the details Google unearths to memory, and prepare to dazzle the hiring manager at your interview.

2. Polish your application materials.

The devil—or in this case, the job offer—is in the details. Submit a generic cover letter or resume with spelling and grammatical errors and you’re only wasting your time. On the other hand, polished application materials indicate you are serious about the job opportunity and merit a deeper look. Whether you want to further your career with a new position at a clinic or an outpatient care center, you must customize your cover letter and resume for the employer, proofread it carefully and—for best results—get a second or even third opinion on the effectiveness of your written presentation.

3. Understand your big-picture role—and be ready to describe it.

A medical practice managerial job is more than a list of tasks. It’s an essential cog in a well-oiled healthcare machine. Before your next interview, think about the ways in which your daily responsibilities affect the organization as a whole. How do ensuring compliance with new laws and regulations, answering operational questions from the medical staff, and organizing detailed records integrate into the larger mission of the establishment? Once you have an answer, your response to “What did you do at practice X?” will be much more impressive.

4. Practice telling the right stories.

Behavioral interview questions are increasingly common. While you can’t prepare a response to every “Tell me about a time…” or “What would you do if…” query, you can focus in on those that a healthcare employer is most likely to ask by considering the job from his or her perspective. What skills are most important for a medical office manager to have? The answer may be improving the quality of healthcare services, managing the finances of the facility, and supervising medical staff. What situations would indicate a candidate has those skills? You can then prepare stories that address the situations and skills you’ve identified.

5. Above all, be honest.

Whether you prefer to not talk about why you left your last position or want to keep your former salary a secret because you fear it will hamper negotiations, any response that is less than truthful—even if not outright dishonest—can come back to hurt you. For example, most healthcare employers will check in with your past supervisors in addition to running a comprehensive background check. They’ll find out why you left and what you earned in addition to where you obtained your education and credentials. If the information you provided does not match the details the hiring manager uncovers, he or she will question your motives for subterfuge—as well as whether you are the right candidate for the job.

For more insider advice from top career experts as well as available healthcare administrator and medical practice manager jobs across the nation, visit the HEALTHeCAREERS Network.